1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a subsurface safety valve used for controlling fluid flow in a well conduit and, more particularly, to an equalizing subsurface safety valve.
2. Description of the Related Art
Subsurface safety valves are commonly used in wells to prevent uncontrolled fluid flow through the well in the event of an emergency, such as to prevent a well blowout. Conventional safety valves use a flapper which is biased by a spring to a normally closed position, but is retained in an open position by the application of hydraulic fluid from the earth's surface. A typical subsurface safety valve is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,219, which is commonly assigned hereto.
When the flapper is in the closed position, well fluid pressure below the flapper acting upon a relatively large surface area of the flapper makes opening of the flapper difficult. This difficulty in opening cannot be easily overcome simply by increasing the force exerted against the flapper by an opening piston and cylinder assembly because the relatively small cross-sectional area of the opening piston and cylinder assembly would require a fluid pressure that may burst the control line carrying hydraulic fluid from the earth's surface to the piston and cylinder assembly, or destroy critical seals therein. Additionally, when the flapper is opened the initial flow of well fluid is relatively rapid which tends to etch, or erode, the primary sealing surface of the flapper. Any damage to this primary sealing surface is extremely critical because it is this sealing surface which must be intact to prevent uncontrolled flow of well fluids and to prevent a possible well blow out. The present invention solves these difficulties by providing a subsurface safety valve with an equalizing mechanism to allow the pressure above and below the flapper to equalize prior to the complete opening of the flapper.